The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to multi-lumen tracheal tubes that may accommodate an integral visualization device, such as a camera.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the course of treating a patient, a tracheal tube (e.g endotracheal, endobronchial, nasotracheal, or transtracheal device) may be used to control the flow of gases into the trachea of a patient. Often, a seal between the outside of the tube and the interior wall of the tracheal lumen is required, allowing for generation of positive intrathoracic pressure distal to the seal and prevention of ingress of solid or liquid matter into the lungs from proximal to the seal.
Depending on the clinical condition of the patient, a tracheal tube may be inserted that is capable of ventilating one lung to the exclusion or independently of the other. For example, during thoracic surgery, surgeons may wish to isolate and perform surgery on an affected lung while simultaneously ventilating the healthy lung in order to optimize the surgical field and/or avoid cross-contamination.
Endobronchial tubes that allow independent control of each lung through dual lumens are typically used for this purpose. One lumen is opened to ambient pressure to isolate the desired lung, while respiratory and anesthetic gases are delivered via positive pressure ventilation through the other lumen. Placement of an endobronchial tube not only requires corroboration of correct insertion and positioning within the trachea, but also additional corroboration of correct insertion and positioning within the desired main-stem bronchus. Placement must be reassessed frequently after patient position changes for surgical indications (e.g. lateral decubitus positioning), during surgical manipulations and after tube manipulations. This corroboration of placement requires bronchoscopic evaluation through the tracheal and/or bronchial lumen to visualize whether the bronchial lumen has been correctly cannulated and whether the tip of the bronchial lumen is correctly positioned. However, bronchoscopy is time consuming, can interrupt ventilation, and requires additional skills on the part of the provider. In addition, bronchoscopes are bulky, expensive, prone to damage, and difficult to operate within the relatively small diameter of the bronchial lumen.